{"id":39381,"date":"2025-04-25T13:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T13:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=39381"},"modified":"2025-05-02T05:11:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T05:11:49","slug":"these-4-tips-can-make-screen-time-good-for-your-kids-and-even-help-them-learn-to-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/these-4-tips-can-make-screen-time-good-for-your-kids-and-even-help-them-learn-to-talk\/","title":{"rendered":"These 4 tips can make screen time good for your kids and even help them learn to talk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Erika Squires<\/a>, Wayne State University<\/a><\/em> and Lucy (Kathleen) McGoron<\/a>, Wayne State University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Screen time permeates the lives of toddlers and preschoolers. For many young children, their exposure includes both direct viewing, such as watching a TV show, and indirect viewing, such as when media is on in the background during other daily activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As many parents will know, research points to several negative effects of screen time<\/a>. As scholars who specialize in speech pathology<\/a> and early childhood development<\/a>, we are particularly interested in the recent finding that too much screen time is associated with less parent-child talk, such as fewer conversational turns between parents and children<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the American Academy of Pediatrics<\/a> and World Health Organization<\/a> suggest limiting screen time for children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond quantity, they also emphasize the quality of a child\u2019s engagement with digital media. Used in moderation, certain kinds of media can have educational and social benefits for children<\/a> \u2013 and even contribute to language development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These tips may help parents structure and manage screen time more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No. 1: Choose high-quality content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Parents can enhance their children\u2019s screen-time value by choosing high-quality media \u2013 that is, content with educational benefit. PBS Kids has many popular shows<\/a>, from \u201cNature Cat\u201d to \u201cSid the Science Kid,\u201d that would qualify as educational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two other elements contribute to the quality of screen time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, screen content should be age-appropriate \u2013 that is, parents should choose shows, apps and games that are specifically designed for young children. Using a resource such as Common Sense Media<\/a> allows parents to check recommended ages for television shows, movies and apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, parents can look for shows that use evidence-based educational techniques, such as participatory cues. That\u2019s when characters in shows break the \u201cfourth wall\u201d by directly talking to their young audience to prompt reflection, action or response. Research shows<\/a> that children learn new words better when a show has participatory cues \u2013 perhaps because it encourages active engagement rather than passive viewing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many classic, high-quality television shows for young children feature participatory cues, including \u201cMickey Mouse Clubhouse<\/a>,\u201d \u201cDora the Explorer<\/a>,\u201d \u201cGo Diego Go!<\/a>\u201d and \u201cDaniel Tiger\u2019s Neighborhood<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No. 2: Join in on screen time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends<\/a> that parents and children watch media together<\/a> whenever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Illustration
Screen time doesn\u2019t have to look like this. kbeis\/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This recommendation is based on the evidence that increased screen media use can reduce parent-child conversation. This, in turn, can affect language development<\/a>. Intentionally discussing media content with children increases language exposure during screen time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents may find the following joint media engagement strategies useful:<\/p>\n\n\n\n